Tobacco guiding machine



Se'pt. 29, 1942.

K. A. KRBER TOBACCO GUIPING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. l1, 1938 Patented Sept. 29, 1942 TOBACCO GUIDING MACHINE Kurt Adolf Krber, Dresden-Oberloschwitz, Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Original application October 11, 1938; Serial No.

Divided and this application February 21, 1940, Serial No. 319,990. In Germany October 18, 1937 1 Claim. (Cl.

This invention relates to tobacco guiding machines, in which generally a tobacco conduit, which is shallow, supplies its tobacco to a conveying means. This application is a division of U. S. application Ser. No. 234,477, filed Oct. 11, 1938, granted April 2,2, 1941, under Patent No. 2,238,979.

The object of the invention is toovercome the objection of shaking up and down, the said conduit or part thereof; to overcome certain defects in connection with the conveying of the tobacco, and to overcome certain rdisadvantageous features in Aconnection With the cutting of the tobacco fed by the conveying means. In addition, the object is to provide an improved fleecing device.

The invention also consists of means cooperating with the cutting knife,kfor removing the c ut off tobacco from its support. Such means maybe of various kinds, for example, the knife may be itself shaped as a wiper, and by a suitable movement after its cutting action, may wipe off the cut tobacco portion from the lower supporting surface, so that, however by the ,cutting knife the supporting surface is forced to an emptying position, whereby the cutting knife at ,the same time places a second and new supporting surface in the place of the first.

The various parts are so coordinated in action and relative speed, that from the beginning of the operation, the tobacco is -treated so as to be free from lumps, which enables it to b e uniformly distributed and shaped into a substantially equally dense mass, so that the various cut Cif portions are of assured density and efcientdistribution.

The invention will be further described in connection with the Various embodiments shown in the drawing, and will be, nally, claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, partlyY in ,ele- Vation of the improved machine .embodying the invention; and

Figure 2 shows a detail side view of ment of the invention.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to Figure 1, the .tobacco T is lcontained in a tobacco .spreader I, Vin which Aa known tobacco spike roller 2 is arranged which rotates in the direction of the arrow 2a there shown. The roller 2 takes along during its rotation, tobacco from the spreader I, in a manner to form a tobacco iieece or uniform layer upon the roller 2. This fleece or uniform layer is removed from the roller 2 by take-off member 3, which forms an embodithe front boundary wall of the tobacco space of the tobacco spreader. This wall 3 for stroking off the tobacco from the roller 2, is supported by a double armed lever 4 which is in turn supported by the shaft 5 of the roller 2. The lower free end of the lever 4 is pivoted to a lever arm Ii which acts as a crank rod, and which is actuated by the crank disc 1, rotating on the shaft 7a. The free end of the arm 6 is lpivoted at 6a, to the crank disc I eccentrically of the center Shaft 7a. Known mechanism to rotate the roller 2, are utilized to rotate the same, but these are not shown in the drawing, as being Within the skill of almechanic.

Measured in respect to the speed of rotation of the roller 2 the speed of tobacco removing Wall 3 with its wiping edge is such that the edge moves with relatively high speed concentric to the roller 2. By this coaction and the relative speeds, a very ne smoothing of the tobacco takes place on the roller 2, without balling of the tobacco in the angle `:c formed by the wall 3 and roller 2, which has been found to take place when a roller instead of such a wall with impinging edge is used.

This action of the wall 3 devised to obtain a most efficient fleece or Vlies on the roller 2, now is followed by the action of a spiked roller 8 upon the fleece or vlies on the roller 2. The roller 8 rotates in the direction of the arrow 8a, and in a direction opposite to that of the roller 2. The 'roller 8 is rotated by means of known operating mechanism, connected like roller 2, and disc 1, to the main drive.

The tobacco leaving rollers 2 and 8, drops by gravity into a substantially vertical conduit 9, and after passing therethrough it falls upon the l,endless conveyor band I0, which moves in the direction of the arrow Illa, and guides the tobacco flow towards the knife 2II.

The conduit 9 is made in the vform of a structure which has a stationary front Wall I5, extending substantially lperpendicularly from the tobacco container in which the roller 8 is located, and the wall I5 has its lower extremity near to the belt I0, and separated therefrom about the height of the tobacco iiow on the belt IIJ. To the stationary wall I5 are applied lateral Walls extending rearwardly from the front wall I5, so as to form the side walls of the conduit. Within the side walls and spaced from the front wall I5, is a rear wall I I, pivoted at I2 to the lowermost part of the wall of the tobacco spreader. The rear wall thus pivoted at I2 is swingably supported, and in order to swing it to and fro, the rear of the rear wall is provided with a bracket IIa, supporting a pin or shaft upon which one end of a crank arm I3 is pivoted. The other end of the arm I3 is eccentrically disposed to the crank disc I4, and pivoted at |3a thereto, the disc I4 being rotated on the shaft I4a. A chain |4b passes over the sprocket |4c on the shaft I4a, and over the sprocket 1b. By the to and fro movement of the arm I3, the rear wall |I is swung to and from full line position to dotted.

line position and back. The lower end of the rear wall extends to the upper conveying surface of the belt I0, so as to substantially contact therewith, and so that any tobacco on the upperv surface of the belt is pushed along by the rear wall I I forwardly and through the space between the lowermost edge of the wall I5 and the belt I0.

This improved conduit formed by the front wall I 5 and swingable rear wall I I, has the advantage that with every rearward movement of the wall II, an airing of the tobacco within the conduit takes place. By this, the descent of the tobacco is facilitated and made easy. Thereby, a slight accumulation of the tobacco takes place at the lower end of the conduit near the belt, and this is then compressed by the return swinging movement of the rear wall II, by pressing the enclosed tobacco against the front wall I5. At the same time, the relatively compressed tobacco which has descended to the belt during the rearward swinging movement of the rear wall II, is pressed by the end of the rear wall I I which protrudes beyond the lowermost end of the front wall I5, along the belt and in the forward direction of the arrow Illa, during the forward movement of the belt. The tobacco in this dense condition is then moved forward by the belt. The velocity of movement of the belt is regulated to the quantity of tobacco being aired, pressed and pushed through and from the conduit. The simultaneous co-action of belt and presser II is such that the ow of tobacco on the belt has and maintains a certain definite and predetermined density.

In front of the front end of the belt I0, which passes over rolls I6 and I1, there is arranged a table portion I8 in advance of the roll I6, which receives the tobacco flow from the upper surface of the belt. As the moving tobacco now encounters a stationary surface on the stationary table surface I8, the tobacco is made more dense. The tobacco fed by the belt pushes against this resisting tobacco on the table I8. This frictional resistance can be augmented by roughing the table surface, and can, in consequence, be regulated. Preferably, the free forward end of the table |8 has adjacent thereto an angular member |9b, the free end of which, in turn, is shaped to act as a cutting edge IBa, to cooperate with a knife edge 20. The length of the knife edge |9a and knife is equal to the width of the table I8. The knife 2U is a blade knife and is supported by an arm 2| at both of its ends, a pivotal roller shaft 22 enabling the arms 2| to be supported. The knife 2|) thereby partakes of a circular movement, during which it contacts with the edge |9a, and cuts ofi' the portion of the tobacco flow to the extent that it projects beyond the table I8 and edge I 9a.

At the edge |9a of the table I8, there is a supporting surface 3|, forming part of a cylindrical roller upon which the tobacco projecting beyond the edge I9a passes. Thissurface 3| forms part of a cylindrical roller freely rotatable on a shaft 24 which is suitably supported. A belt, not shown,

passing over the shafts 22 and 24 enables the transmission of the forces to rotate the member 3|. This surface is, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 held fast by spring projections 24a. When, however, the knife in its orbit comes Within the sphere of the cutting edge I9a. of the table I8, and by this action has separated the cut off tobacco portion, the knife is moved along the supporting surface as will hereinafter appear. In consequence, the tobacco portion so cut off resting on the supporting surface, after reaching a certain inclined position, is guided off from and by the supporting surface, and reaches the hopper 25. From this it passes out of the discharge opening 26 into ythe collecting container 2'I which takes each tobacco portion and moves it along to the next point of manipulation.

The shaft 22 is journalled in journal bearings.

The knife 20 is supported by two parallel and like members 2l only one of which is shown in Fig'.

To give the knife 20 the movement as described, a guide member having guide rails 6| and 62 is supported by the frame, and these guide rails guide a guide 63, upon which the shaft 22 is supported, which is moved to and fro as shown by the double headed arrow 1|). On the guide 63 is a pin 64, which is engaged by a fork 65 on an arm 66, which is moved by the guide 63 to and fro as shown by the doubleheaded arrow 5'I whereby the knife 20 is moved from full line to dotted line position. On the arm 2|, a pin II is supported upon which the number I2, is connected and this member 'I2 is moved up and down as shown by the doubleheaded arrow, by mechanism not shown, to control the height of movement of the knife.

In Fig. 2 is shown a detail side view in which the belt I0 moving in the direction of the arrow Illa passes over the pulley I6. The table |8 has at one side thereof a supporting surface |9b and a knife edge cutting member |9a. The roller 3| moves in the direction of the arrow 3 la, rotating upon the shaft 24. 'Ihe knife holder 3U in Fig. 2 is operated in the'same manner as the knife holder 2| in Fig. 1, with the knife itself indicated by 20a shown in a position ready to descend against the material to be cut in the direction of the arrow '|4. When the knife 20a has so descended and cut the material, it moves in an arcuate path in the direction o-f the arrow I5 and thereby pushes the cut off tobacco along the roller 3|, the rotation of the roller assisting in this movement of the tobacco. When this arcuate path has been completed, the knife is raised and moved in the direction of the arrow 'I6 up to the limit of its movement and then given an arcuate return path movement in the direction of the arrow TI to the place of its beginning.

The knife 20 is so governed, that it first partakes of a vertical movement and thereby separates the tobacco portion which has reached the supporting surface. In immediate action therewith, the knife makes a movement of such a kind that its cutting edge descending on the periphery of the roller 3| moves concentric with the roller 3| and thereby remains in contact with the roller surface. This movement takes place in the conveying direction of the tobacco layer, as indicated by the arrow 3|a, so that the knife serves as a wiper, and wipes the separated tobacco portion from the roller towards the left, as shown in Figure 1. At the end of the wiping movement, the knife finds itself with its carrier 2|, in the position indicated in dotted lines. Now

the knife with its carrier goes upwardly and so far that it is removed from the path of the freshly arrived tobacco on the roller. Then the knife goes to the right, back to the cutting position and the cycle begins anew.

Actuating devices of known kind are shown in Figure 1. 'Ihe shaft I4a supports a sprocket wheel 40 over which a chain 4l passes, which passes over a sprocket 42, on the main driving shaft 43, having a pulley wheel 44. The shaft 43 has a Worm 45, engaging a gear 43a on a shaft 41 supported in bearings 48. On the shaft 41 is a bevel gear 49' engaging a conical gear 5I! on a Vertical shaft 5| hold by bearings 52. To the shaft 5I a bevel 53 engages a bevel 54 on a shaft 55 which carries the drive pulley I1 of the belt l0, which passes also over the end pulley I6.

To move the memlber 66, it is provided with a pivot point 80, and at its lowermost end, with a follower 8|, which is moved by a cam 82, on a shaft 83, moving in the direction of the arrow 35. A spring 84 has one end fixed, and the other attached to the member 66, to hold the follower against the cam.

The member 12 is moved up and down, by having its lowermost end 92 pivotally secured to a gear 89, which gear is loosely mounted on shaft 93, and which gear has a gap in its teeth, and which gear meshes with the driving gear 81 on shaft 86, rotating in the direction of the arrow 88, to rotate gear 89 in the direction of the arrow 9|. 'Ihe shaft 86 is rotated by any suitable means connected with the prime source of power. All of these mechanisms just described are me- -chanical devices assembled to actuate the members 66 and 12 in accordance with having the knife move in the manner shown in Figure 2, and

no invention is claimed therein, as any skilled mechanic can readily provide other mechanisms to carry out the objects of their co-relationship.

A companion `divisional application was filed on February 4, 1940, under Serial Number 319,989.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiments of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

In a tobacco guiding machine, the combination of a movable tobacco conveying means, a stationary table at its discharge end to receive the moving tobacco from the conveying means and having a horizontal surface and an edge portion vertically disposed in respect thereto at the end of the table, a roller supported adjacent said edge portion, the upper surface of which is below the surface of the table, a knife disposed between the upper surface of the roller and the edge portion of the table to enter therebetween and move along the vertical edge portion to cut off any tobacco extending beyond the edge portio-n, means for vertically descending said knife to cut off said tobacco, means for moving the edge of the knife in an arcuate path concentric to said upper surface of the roller to move the cutoff tobacco along the same, means for vertically raising the knife, and means for moving said knife in an arcuate path `concentric with the first named arcuate path but in opposite direction to return the knife to its initial position.

KURT ADOLF KRBER. 

